Top 10 Best Bollywood Action Movies of All Time

Top 10 Bollywood Action Movies of All Time

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Bollywood action movies of all time.

For this list, we’ll be looking at Hindi-language Indian blockbusters that best thrilled audiences and influenced the action genre worldwide. To be more specific, we’re using the word “Bollywood” here to encompass Hindi cinema as a whole and not just films with musical numbers.

Want to share your favorite Indian action classics, Bollywood and beyond? Join the discussion in the comments.

#10: “Khiladi” (1992)

It's usually harmless fun when it comes to the elaborate pranks played by these four friends in college. But when a mock kidnapping turns fatal, they must set out to find the killer before they're caught by the police... or someone worse. It's a classic whodunnit meets a full-force chase thriller. But for all of the suspense, "Khiladi" is never short on colorful characters, catchy songs and dynamic action. The film's unexpected commercial and critical success spawned a franchise - albeit with unrelated casts, crews and stories. It also helped to turn the little-known actor Akshay Kumar into a household name. Though many movies have since tried to capture its twisty magic, "Khiladi" is the kind of captivating blockbuster that rarely comes along.

#9: “Tiger Zinda Hai” (2017)

After the events of "Ek Tha Tiger", Indian spy Tiger and Pakistani counterpart Zoya have started a life together. But when a high-profile terrorist takes over a hospital, the couple must come out of hiding to save the day. "Tiger Zinda Hai" is one of those rare sequels that's often considered better than the original. Even rarer in Bollywood is a romance that perfectly balances the heroic stature of man and woman. Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif are as fiery in their chemistry as they are in their practically acrobatic stunt work. One of the most expensive Indian film productions wound up paying off. With endless laughs, style and thrills, "Tiger Zinda Hai" is one of the biggest Bollywood hits of the decade.

#8: “Singham” (2011)

Bajirao Singham is a tough but honest cop who has just been transferred to the big city by a criminal-turned-politician from his past. Singham must now unravel his powerful nemesis's scheme before his reputation and life are destroyed. The film isn't much of a critical darling, but was an immediate favorite among audiences. Thanks to it being an epic police thriller with old-school Bollywood swagger on a muscular 2010s budget, it exploded at the box office. This remake of a Tamil-language hit now has its own cinematic universe and an animated show for the kids. It also launched comedy filmmaker Rohit Shetty as a master of action. His "Singham" nonetheless reigns supreme among fans of the genre.

#7: “Don” (1978)

When a police officer accidentally kills the criminal kingpin Don, he commissions a good-hearted lookalike to bring down Don's operation from the inside. Unfortunately, he enters Bombay's criminal underworld in time for a dangerous power struggle. It's an elaborate plot of constant suspense and dramatic twists. But audiences were especially hooked by the psychedelic style and over-the-top action that pushed the Bollywood crime thriller to new heights. If celebrated leading man Amitabh Bachchan was already an established action star, "Don" made him a legend. The instant classic spawned a massive franchise, multiple remakes and influenced action movies around the world. Bollywood action's standard for cool alone was never the same after "Don".

#6: “Badlapur” (2015)

Fifteen years after a botched bank robbery led to the deaths of Raghu's wife and son, one of the robbers walks out of prison seeking atonement. Raghu, however, is only interested in vengeance against the terminally ill ex-con and his fugitive partner. "Badlapur" sounds like your typical Bollywood revenge thriller, and definitely has the pulse-pounding violence to back that up. The real tension, however, is in its complex characters and brutal moral ambiguity. The film shocked audiences with its raw style and established comedy heart-throb Varun Dhawan as a dramatic powerhouse. Still, with plenty of intense action to self-critique, "Badlapur" should engross Bollywood enthusiasts and more discriminating viewers alike.

#5: “Baby” (2015)

Much tougher than the name would suggest, BABY is an elite task force dedicated to eliminating the greatest threats to Indian national security. Their latest mission takes them into an international terrorist network, whose schemes could throw the nation into panic. Despite controversy in Pakistan, "Baby" is considered a uniquely sophisticated spy thriller. The heroic characters are not without their faults, and politics and plot are never short on twists. That doesn't mean there's any lack of wild yet well-coordinated action. The box office sensation has quickly become a staple in recent Indian action. After the success of the prequel "Naam Shabana", four more spin-offs are in the works. Until then, not many Bollywood spy thrillers can deliver like "Baby".

#4: “Ghajini” (2008)

Aamir Khan stars as a fallen business tycoon who loses his memory every 15 minutes. All he knows is that he is out for revenge against the gangster responsible for his affliction and his fiancée's death. Sound familiar? "Ghajini" was originally seen as an unnecessary remake of a Tamil-language riff on Christopher Nolan's "Memento". But in hindsight, audiences couldn't get enough of the film's elaborate mysteries, style and action. The memorably over-the-top spectacle and shocking twists kept fans coming back until it became the highest-grossing Indian movie ever. It wasn't long before Aamir Khan broke that record again with "3 Idiots". Still, "Ghajini" has stuck with Bollywood action as one of the industry's most unforgettable hits of the 2000s.

#3: “Uri: The Surgical Strike” (2019)

In 2016, nearly 20 Indian soldiers were assassinated in a coordinated terrorist plot. "Uri: The Surgical Strike" fictionalizes the real-life military and intelligence efforts to track down the militant cell responsible. Patriotic war movies are nothing new in India. And "Uri" has all of the usual romantic sacrifice and sweeping salutations to rile up the audience. The line "How’s the josh?", meaning "How’s the spirit?", ultimately went viral. Still, it's a uniquely character-driven and smartly structured thriller. The tightly plotted mission and slick, explosive action sequences never fail to hold you in suspense. Although "Uri: The Surgical Strike" just came out in 2019, it appears to be setting a new standard for Bollywood military action.

#2: “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012)

Maverick filmmaker Anurag Kashyap follows 50 years in the mafia politics that build the small coal town of Wasseypur into a metropolis. All the while, allegiances and families collapse into a brutal feud that spans generations. This is only the setup of a five-hour-long epic that was released in two parts. Still, audiences were as enthralled by the complex and dour storytelling as the critics. It doesn't hurt that when business turns bloody, it hurts to watch. Kashyap blows away all romance in gangster life and violent death. But the style and action remain as awesome as the lessons in history and humanity at their darkest. Whether by persuasion or force, "Gangs of Wasseypur" makes every gruesome hour count.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Wanted” (2009)
A Cold-Blooded Gangster's Romantic Path to Redemption Is Challenged by His Rivals & Police

“Dhoom 2” (2006)
Abhishek Bachchan Returns as a Police Deputy Superintendent on the Trail of an International Master Thief

“Deewaar” (1975)
A Police Inspector Takes the Case of His Own Gangster Brother

“War” (2019)
An Elite Spy Goes Rogue, Pursued by His Old Protégé

“Ghayal” (1990)
A Boxer Seeks Revenge Against the Corrupt Businessman Who Killed His Brother

#1: “Sholay” (1975)

After rescuing a former police inspector during a train heist, a pair of colorful crooks are taken in by his small village. There, they find community, romance, and a dangerous mission to take out a ruthless gangster with a tragic link to the ex-cop. "Sholay" did not dazzle critics when it came out. Audiences, though, were quickly hooked by the hilarious comedy, harrowing drama, lavish songs and epic action. The rich characters and Hollywood western influences also helped to turn Indian spectacle into a unique art form. The epic helped make Bollywood a global phenomenon and has become an Eastern pop culture icon. Now "Sholay" is considered by many to be the defining Bollywood blockbuster of the 1970s, if not of all time.